


Day 5 - Back To Daylight

by torigingerfox



Series: Sounds Good Enough [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adultery, Cheating, F/M, Implied Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 03:59:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12879726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigingerfox/pseuds/torigingerfox
Summary: Everything is a choice.But you can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.





	Day 5 - Back To Daylight

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5
> 
> Song: Back to Daylight – Dub Pistols
> 
> Rating: M

 

**Room 104, Hotel Pennsylvania – New York City**

_4th September, h. 2.10 AM_

There she was again, picking up discarded clothes and retreating into the bathroom to get dressed. How long since the first time they started this, three months? She had to stop, but she couldn't help the attraction she felt towards her colleague and former nemesis.

It was just sex, they never indulged in anything remotely romantic.

_Just sex, no feelings._

That's how she justified her actions, if ever there could be a justification for what she was doing.

And to think that it had all started because one lonely night, after a fight over the Floo, she decided to knock on his hotel door with a bottle of Tequila in her hand.

He let her in.

Bad decisions had ensued.

XXXX

**Room 325, Hotel Principe di Savoia – Milan, Italy**

_28th September, h. 10.27 PM_

He was only two doors down the corridor, probably watching TV while sipping some extremely expensive liquor.

Draco Malfoy watching TV in a Muggle Hotel, who would've thought it possible?

Not to mention Draco Malfoy becoming the best Hit Wizard the Ministry had ever seen. That was borderline absurd.

And yet, there he was.

_So close._

While Ron was…far away.

Far away and clueless.

She got up, grabbed her room key and opened the door, resolved to go and find the blond wizard that plagued her dreams, only to find him standing there, outside her door, with a bottle of wine in his right hand.

"Granger, fancy a drink?" he asked suggestively.

She moved to let him in.

They never made it to the bed.

XXX

**Room 458, Kamakura Park Hotel – Tokyo, Japan**

_7th October, h. 00.03 AM_

He was sitting on the windowsill, smoking a cigarette.

He always did, after sex. He simply sat there, gloriously naked, and smoked his fag while looking out the window.

Whatever the city, whatever the time, he'd always spend ten minutes in silence, admiring the view.

She sat on the bed, sated but restless. It was always the same, he'd bring her to the verge of madness, and she'd swear that that was what Heaven must be like. Then she remembered who she was with, and what they were doing, and guilt would eat her alive.

"Stop torturing yourself Granger, it doesn't change anything. What's done is done, right?" he said while getting up from his spot by the window.

"Easy to say for you, you're not the one who's cheating" she scoffed impatiently.

He sat beside her and started playing with her hair. "When was the last time you've been with him?"

Hermione bit on her lip and looked away. "Six months ago. Before…"

"Us", he cut her off, sparing her the shame of admitting out loud that since they started their affair she stopped having sex with Ron.

She snapped her head towards the blond wizard "Is there an us, then?"

_No, of course not._

_Just sex, no feelings. Right?_

He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe, maybe not. Do you really feel guilty for what we do? You think it's wrong? Or is it because you feel sorry for him?"

Hermione kicked the sheets away, got up and started pacing the room, while Draco got dressed in silence.

Did she think what they did was wrong? Well, it was…technically.

But how could it be wrong when it felt so right? His lips kissing her collarbone, his hands cupping her breasts and his cock buried deep inside her, while his thumb played with her clit.

Ron never made her feel that way, it had always been _awkward_. He was sweet, gentle and a little clumsy.

While Malfoy was…rough, sexy and amazingly skilled.

But it wasn't just that, was it?

The truth was, she'd been living a lie for the past six months and she had no answers. None she was willing to give, anyway.

And what exactly did he want her to say?

Never mind, anyway.

Hermione took too long to answer his question, for when she turned he was gone.

XXX

**Room 770, Moscow Marriott Grand Hotel –Moscow, Russia**

_30th October, h. 01.23 AM_

His hands were cool, but his touch was setting her skin aflame. That was what she had been looking for. That was what she needed. He was able to make her forget all about the outside world. In the privacy of their hotel rooms they were free, and wild.

With him, she lost all control.

His hands on her body, his minty, spicy scent in the air. His hot kisses on her neck were all she craved for.

Lately she found herself eagerly waiting for their secret meetings, hoping to run into him during one of her missions abroad.

She was still scared of her emotions, so she buried them deep down, the only thing she'd think of would be his gaze, lustful and dark, and not his sweet caresses and soft touches.

_Just sex, no feelings._

Hermione couldn't help wondering what the future would bring, and found herself terrified at the idea of losing what she had with her lover.

He was the only one able to push her limits and redefine her boundaries. With him she'd tried things she had never dreamt of doing.

He always encouraged her to seize the moment. "The time is _now_ , Granger"

So she gave herself up to the moment, and got lost in his fervent kisses.

In the end he was always right.

Not that she'd ever admit it.

XXX

**Room 224, Hotel Granduca –Houston, Texas**

_30th November, h. 4.05 AM_

"Can I come in?"

He opened the door and moved to let her in, then closed it behind her.

"Holy fuck Granger, what time is it?" he complained while rubbing his eyes.

She dropped her suitcase on the floor and turned to face him "Around 4 in the morning"

He smirked deviously "Couldn't you wait until tonight?"

Good Merlin, could he be any cockier? "I just port keyed from Rome. It's 11 in the morning there."

He raised an eyebrow "So?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "So I'm not sleepy, you prat!"

"And it's my problem because…?"

_Because I need you._

_And I missed you._

_NO._

"You're right, it isn't. I should leave" and she motioned towards the door.

Before she could grab the knob, though, he pulled her back into an embrace and whispered "Don't be silly, stay"

She relaxed into his arms and rested her cheek on his chest. She went a whole month without running into him, and it had nearly driven her crazy.

She had to tell him. "I've missed you"

"Come to bed" was his reply.

When she woke up the morning after, he was gone.

She realised that it had been the first time they slept in the same bed since they started their…whatever it was, but chose not to read anything into it.

There was a note on the nightstand.

_Granger,_

_did you know you talk in your sleep?_

_And you steal blankets._

_Don't forget to eat your breakfast and be a good girl._

_See you in Madrid,_

_D_

_P.S. I've missed you too_

XXX

**Room 312, Hotel Ritz – Madrid, Spain**

_5th December, h. 7.15 PM_

"I've seen your boyfriend three days ago in London"

He'd said it nonchalantly, without looking up from the magazine he was leafing through.

Hermione narrowed her eyes "And?"

"And I don't know why the two of you are still together" he spat, vehemently.

Hermione felt her heart rate increase. "Why?"

He shook his head. "Do you really need to ask?"

No, she didn't.

And yet, she did.

"Draco…"

He threw his magazine on the tea table. "We should go out, have dinner together"

_A date?_

_Impossible._

_Just sex, no feelings._

Every time things got a little too intense, she had to repeat her inner mantra, lest she delude herself into thinking he had feelings for her. _But what if he does? He's so confusing._

"And stop overthinking everything, Granger. Put a nice dress on, I'll meet you in the Hall in half an hour"

_Oh, Merlin._

XXX

**Room 212, Alvear Palace Hotel –Buenos Aires, Argentina**

_31st December, h.23.50_

He'd been silent that night. "How was Christmas, Draco?"

The blond looked up from his notes. "Amazingly ordinary. Ah, Theo is getting married in two months. He asked me to be his best man."

Hermione couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of jealousy.

Would she ever get married? She knew Ron would ask her eventually, and they could even have a decent marriage at that…he was her best friend, he was safe.

"Oh, that's wonderful. He and Daphne make a nice couple…" she said, though a bit unconvinced.

Draco rolled his eyes "Really, Granger? Theo is gay and Daphne has been fucking half of London for the past three years. Marriage is overrated, I'd rather have something _real_ than make empty vows, just because society expects me to"

Such a cynic. "Some people stay together for love, you know"

This time, he pushed his notes aside. "Oh, _I_ do. And some other people do it for pity, rings any bell Granger?"

Hermione looked away.

He was right, she couldn't leave Ron because they'd been friends for so long and she cared for him, but she didn't feel any attraction towards her boyfriend. He was the safe option, he'd always be there…and she would never risk getting hurt.

She felt the usual guilt stirring somewhere in the pit of her stomach.

What kind of person does what she'd been doing for the past 7 months?

"What should I do?" she asked, not expecting an answer.

Draco rose from his chair, taking her hand and pulling her up too, then lowered his head and whispered "You should be mine, and I'll be yours", before kissing her into oblivion.

XXX

**Room 118, Intercontinental Double Bay Hotel – Sydney, Australia**

_27th January, h. 03.06_

She missed him.

Right after his declaration, she'd fled the room, leaving him alone on New Year's Eve.

The rest of the night passed in a blur, she only remembered crying herself to sleep.

She was supposed to meet him in Dublin, but he never showed up. Surely, he was avoiding her, after her rejection, and she couldn't blame him.

_I'm such an idiot._

_It was never about sex, was it? He truly cared about me, he was just waiting for me to come to terms with the fact that my relationship with Ron isn't working at all._

Being with Ron was safe, true, but being with Draco was _real, raw, intense_ : all things that scared her to no end.

What really terrified her, though, was the idea of Draco being _hers_. That meant she could lose him.

Maybe she'd already lost him. He was a proud man, he'd never forgive her for choosing Ron over him, especially since he had her all figured out and he had known for months that it wasn't just sex for her. He had known it long before she even admitted it to herself.

Hermione knew what she had to do, and she'd spent far too many years being cautious. Reckless people might not live forever, but cautious ones didn't live at all.

And she was tired of settling for the safest option.

Draco might never forgive her, true, and there was no guarantee that they'd really be together after how massively she had messed things up, but she couldn't stay with Ron simply because she was scared of being with someone else, or alone.

She grabbed her mobile – Muggle Hotels weren't connected to the Floo so she had to carry the Muggle contraction in order to keep in touch with friends and family – and dialled the right number…

"Hello?"

_Oh Merlin help me._

"Ron, it's me"

"Hermione! Are you OK?"

"No. No, I'm not. We need to talk"

XXXX

**Draco's Flat – Wizarding London**

_2nd February, h. 3.30 PM_

**BREAKING NEWS! HERMIONE GRANGER CALLS OFF ENGAGEMENT WITH RONALD WEASLEY AFTER 5 YEARS. Continues at page 4,5 and 6.**

"So? Aren't you going to say anything? Come on mate, she's called it off! It must mean something right?" asked Theo impatiently.

Draco simply folded the Prophet, hiding the haunting headline from sight. "What should I say? She should have done it ages ago. Now it's too late"

Theo threw his friend an exasperated look, but didn't press the matter further.

XXX

**Room 248, Four Season Hotel – Toronto, Canada**

_13th February, h. 8.21 PM_

She knocked at his door, hoping he will at least let her in to talk.

He opened and moved sideways, to let her into his room.

Hermione was standing in the middle of the living area, too scared to talk, while Draco sat on the sofa and stared at her pointedly. "Why are you here, Granger?"

"You know why I'm here, Draco" she replied instantly.

He narrowed his eyes. "No, I don't actually. Is there something you wish to tell me?"

_Oh, Draco. There are a million things I wish to tell you._

"I wanted to thank you, actually –she held one hand up to silence him before he could interrupt her -Because even though you might never forgive me for fleeing when things got real between us, and ultimately you may tell me that we should never see each other again, you made me realise that I am worth more than a life with the safe guy, and I will forever be grateful for that"

She walked towards him, never averting her gaze. "I was so scared Draco. I still am, actually. And there's no guarantee that I won't end up burned and hurt…but life is short, and I won't waste a minute longer playing it safe"

She was standing in front of him waiting for a reaction, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, when he got up and closed the distance between them. He caressed her cheek, then grasped her chin, tilting it up.

They were mere inches apart and she could feel his breathe on her face "Took you long enough, Granger"

When he kissed her the world ceased to exist. Hermione relaxed into his arms and her last coherent thought was _"I am his, and he is mine"_

THE END


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